A Simple Thing
by lukadarkwater
Summary: Rythian and Zoey are finally back together after the nuke and Rythian reflects on one of his favorite things about Zoey. Zoethian fluff.


"Goodnight Ryth."

"Goodnight Zoey, sleep tight."

Rythian leaned over and sealed the door to their makeshift tent and lay back on his bed.

It was the first day since the nuke that he and Zoey had both slept in the same place, not counting the nights he had watching Zoey sleep as she healed, and the mage waited eagerly for a sound that he hadn't heard in nearly a month.

He was soon rewarded with the heavy, warm sound of Zoey's sleep breathing. A simple thing really, just her breathing, but one that he had waited so long to hear.

Ever since he and Zoey had joined forces and he had begun teaching her magic, they had always been close by when sleeping and Rythian had grown used to hearing the relaxing sound when he was falling asleep.

When Zoey had gone away the first time to save Tee, he had truly realized how much the sound comforted him and it had been that alone that had driven him to start using the guest room. He didn't know why it soothed him so much but it did. It was just like a gentle reminder that she was there, and after being alone for so long, that made a big difference to him.

He had tired to trick is mind into thinking he had always been alone, to try and forget the sound, but to no avail. He spent most of the time when she was gone working until he would drop from exestuation so he wouldn't have to deal with the lack of sound but he still noticed.

When he and Zoey had come back together and he had again heard her steady breathing beside him at night, he had gone instantly to sleep and it was then he vowed to never loose that sound again.

When the nuke went off and he spent hours franticly searching for her, he was faced with the stark truth that he might never hear that sound again. He might never see her smiling face or watch her run around crazily babbling about mushrooms and Fishton in the way she always did and the thought nearly drove him insane.

Then, just the like the first time they had met, she fell back into his life and he spent hours, days, weeks struggling to save her, to save his world.

He hadn't left her side for days as she remained in a coma like state, relying on Tee for food.

He poured healing spell after healing spell into her until finally, after so many agonizing days, her beautiful blue eyes had cracked open and she faintly said. "Hey Ryth, what's cooking?"

It was the first time he had cried since the explosion, the first time he had allowed all the fear, pain, and exhaustion to break though, and then he had gently, for she was still every hurt, gathered her to his chest and held her for a long time.

After her first day of being awake, he had worked twice as hard to get her back up to full health. Bringing her everything she had needed for her arm and all the vegetarian food she wanted.

Now she was back with him, bruised and broken, but still with him. He closed his eyes with a sigh and allowed her gentle breathing to low him to sleep.

He was, however, jarred awake several hours later by Zoey breaking the crafting table that stood between their two beds and putting her bed down next to his.

"Zoey?" Rythian asked as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "What's the matter?"

She turned to look at him and he felt his heart melt at the sight of her nightmare face. It was a face he hadn't seen in a long time but he knew just what would fix it.

"Come on then, silly." He said and opened his arms.

Zoey flashed him a brief smile before climbing into the bed and snuggling against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him so he could rest his head on her hair.

"Oh, sorry about my arm Rythian." She said as she felt him shift and she tried to pull back a little.

"No," he said with more than a little panic in his voice "No, Zoey, its fine. Its all fine now." He said pulling her back to him

He heard her snort but soon her breathing became heavy once again and Rythian fell asleep, happier than he had been in… well in a long time.

Authors Notes:

I had to make a fic after watching the first episode of season 3 today. Hope you like it!

**** So after watching Episode two today and noticing that Zoey and Rythian have moved their beds together, there is nothing that can make this fic un-cannon in my head. _It happened I swear.****_


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